Picking a smoke shop point of sale (POS) system with the right software features is key — but perfect features don’t mean much without the right hardware.
But finding the perfect equipment for your smoke shop can be easier said than done. There are numerous POS hardware combinations out there, and not all of them are a good fit for a tobacco business.
Don’t worry — whether you’re opening a smoke shop for the first time or looking to upgrade an old system, we’re here to help.
In this post, we’ll cover the four must-have pieces of smoke shop POS hardware along with three bonus tools that can make running your store even easier.
An Important Note on Compatibility
Before we dive into must-have hardware, it’s important to point out that not all hardware components are compatible with every system.
So while it may be tempting to go to third-party sellers to find a cheap touchscreen here and a good deal on a barcode scanner there, you may be wasting money on items that won’t work with your software.
Most POS providers have lists of compatible hardware, so check with them before you put down any money. Additionally, most POS providers sell equipment directly or have partnerships with compatible hardware companies.
Long story short, if you don’t know where to start, go directly to your POS software provider.
The 4 Must-Haves
Before we talk about some of the extra tools you can use to level up your smoke shop management, let’s talk basics.
1. Touchscreen Terminal
A POS touchscreen terminal is your way of interacting with the system. You’ll use it for the majority of your day-to-day tasks, like running transactions, looking up items and customers, applying discounts, clocking in as an employee, and much more.
Most retail POS systems come with some form of touchscreen, but here are some features to look out for:
- Customizable UI: Look for touchscreens that let you adjust the layout of buttons so you can access your most-used functions (e.g. customer loyalty lookup, item lookup) quickly.
- Size: Consider aesthetics and function. A small screen might look nicer on a counter and be fine for simple tasks, but you might find it hard to use if you need to check inventory or review an invoice. Also, less real estate means fewer options for customization.
- Durability: Find a touchscreen that can withstand daily use. While some POS systems are usable from a tablet — like an iPad — you’ll want to be careful to avoid scratches and other wear and tear from frequent use.
- Responsiveness: When you demo POS hardware, see how fast various functions load. Nothing is worse than seeing long lines form because the system isn’t loading fast enough.
Pro tip: Some POS providers base their software subscription charges on the number of registers or touchscreens you have. Before adding additional touchscreens to your store, check with your provider to see if multiple screens will incur additional costs.
2. Cash Drawer & Card Reader
It’ll be tricky to run a profitable smoke shop if you can’t take various forms of payment. Giving customers multiple convenient payment options improves the shopping experience, but adding new payment methods shouldn’t require adding hardware for each one.
Instead, find a card reader that supports swipe, chip and pin, and contactless payments in a single device. While most people prefer using their cards these days, it’s also important to have a secure cash drawer for those who prefer to pay with cash.
Pro tip: You may also want to look for a POS system that supports dual pricing. This allows you to automatically offer a slight discount for customers who choose to pay in cash.
3. Receipt Printer
There are no federal laws requiring paper receipts for transactions (though some states do have receipt requirements for certain types of transactions). That said, many customers still request paper receipts, so having a receipt printer is important.
Make sure to buy a receipt printer that is compatible with your software and the receipt format it uses.
Pro tip: Many POS systems have options to email or text customers receipts. This can provide some additional flexibility.
4. 2D Barcode Scanner
Barcode scanners are available in desk-mounted, wired, or wireless variants and are used to scan items at checkout.
There are two types of barcodes: 1D and 2D. While most unique product codes (UPCs) are readable with a basic 1D scanner, there is a key reason why smoke shops need to invest in a 2D scanner: age verification.
In addition to standard barcodes, 2D scanners can scan licenses and other forms of ID. When used with compatible software, this allows you to validate IDs in seconds, drastically speeding up checkout times.
Pro tip: Many POS systems let you specify which items require an ID check, so if a customer comes in and only buys a snack or a drink, the system won’t prompt you to card them.
Related Read: 3 Best Identification Scanners for Smoke Shops
3 Extra Tools That Make for Smoother Smoke Shop Management
The above basics will be enough for a smoke shop owner to run their business, but there are a few extra hardware components you might want to consider to take things to the next level.
1. Label Printer
If you sell single cigars, custom bundles, pipes, or any items that don’t come in standard packaging, you’ve probably struggled to track how many you have on hand or experienced the pain of looking up and entering prices manually at the register.
A label printer might just be the answer to your problems. Label printers let you print labels that can be entered into your inventory management system for easy tracking and scanned at the register for quick checkout.
In addition to printing labels for existing products, you can also create new products in the system (e.g. a vape flavor sampler pack) and print labels for easy checkout.
That said, make sure you find one that prints labels that fit your products. For example, cigars will require smaller, thinner labels than a typical retail label printer supports.
2. Mobile POS Terminal
If you run a cigar lounge or offer on-premises smoking areas, sometimes it’s not convenient for customers to come to the register whenever they want to order something.
It’s not just a pain; it might discourage customers from relaxing, staying longer, and most importantly, spending more money.
To make customers’ lives easier, you could invest in a mobile POS terminal. This allows you to take orders and ring up customers from anywhere in the store. It can also be useful for performing quick inventory counts and receiving invoices.
Related Read: 4 Best Tobacco Point of Sale Solutions [Features, Pricing, & Reviews]
3. Customer-Facing Screens
While not an essential piece of equipment, a customer-facing screen lets customers see what’s being rung up and any discounts that have been applied. This makes every transaction transparent and provides opportunities for upselling.
For example, if customers can actively see how much money they’re saving on a buy one, get one (BOGO) deal, they might add more products. Some customer-facing screens also support displaying ads, making it a subtle marketing tool as well.
Build the Perfect Smoke Shop POS System
Sturdy and useful POS hardware can go a long way towards simplifying how you work and creating the atmosphere you want in your smoke shop.
But your hardware is only useful if you have the software to back it up.
The right POS system helps you get the most out of your hardware so you can save time, improve the customer experience, and stay compliant with tobacco laws and regulations.
Cigars POS is one of the only systems on the market exclusively built for tobacco retailers and cigar lounges. With a wide range of hardware options and compatibility, Cigars POS helps small business owners around the country find success with less stress.
Talk with one of our industry experts today to find the perfect combination of software and smoke shop POS hardware for your store.
